Acorn Fishery Saturday League (Final Round)

I wasn't really looking forward to today as it was cold this morning & Forecast to stay that way, I wouldn't be in with a shout of making the overall placing's come the end but not one to not turn up & after all there was still some decent section money to pick up on the day. At the draw there were still a couple of no shows probably due to the weather but still not good meaning sections reduced & less money to aim for' I let a few draw before me before diving in, Peg 13 was my reward on the cyanide straight again, I would be the first peg this back but with pegs 27, 11, 1 & 5 being in my section I felt I would be up against it as the island swims seem to be the most consistent this year but you never know & with the wind off are backs at least we would be warmer than some" For company I had Matt on peg 11 who was doing well in the league, & Ray Cooper on peg 15 who wasn't in my section but we had a quid on it anyway" I didn't plan many lines today as the last couple of matches have been won with 16 & 20lb on the Tuesdays, I planned to dob bread across in around 2ft of water tight over so set up a 0.1g float on 0.13-0.11 & an 16 F1 hook, Set up 0.2g rig on the same line with an 18 hook to fish just off the bank & a rig to fish back towards the front of the empty peg 12 pallet in around 4ft of water where I would also use the dobbing rig.

I started on the bread across with the bait set a few inches off the deck, I was hoping for a few early indications but after 30mins of dobbing the far bank I missed one bite' & was going nowhere, It was first blood to Ray for the Quid as he had netted a small carp or two but matt was also without an early fish, I decided to try slightly off the bank with the deck rig with maggot on the hook feeding a few maggots/micros with a cad-pot, Within seconds I had a 4oz carp which was soon followed but a fish around a 1lb, In fact the next 45mins were quite exciting' I had a couple of fish around 2lb & one around 3lb by feeding small amounts after each fish' I had a target weight of around 30lb so was well on the way but then the wheels fell off!".

This line totally died so I thought it was just a case of starting again further along & I would catch again but it wasn't the case, I tried down the edge on & off the deck but not a sign of fish, I tried the dobbing rig again without bites & just spent the next three hours just trying to induce a bite but it wasn't happening & just added one 4oz carp, It wasn't just me struggling as poor matt on peg 11 was yet to catch" but I could see Andy Gard opposite me on the island peg 5 getting plenty of indications as well as netting a few", Ray seemed to be doing quite well on the smaller fish fishing the slightly  deeper water across & had a couple of carp so was clawing back at me, I thought we finished at 3.15 but when i asked Ray he told me 3.45, I wasn't looking & result was the maggot rig round the end of the pole! That was it then I would stick to the bread dobbing rig back to the only place I had an indication on it all day against the grass on the far side, 20 seconds later & I soon netted a 3lb fish! ?? back out & five minutes later I had a better fish just over 4lb as Ray also netted a carp, Tens minutes to go & I could see Andy catching quite well in the last hour, I still had time to get a couple more but after trying other spots along the bank I went back to were I started & missed two bites before the All-out!, I had Andy down as are section winner  but didn't know had pegs 1 & 27 Had got on? It was close between Ray & myself & I admitted to 19lb but he said he only had 12"??

Mark Broomsgrove was first to weight on peg 1 in my section & finished with 26lb odd, I knew I didn't have that & with Andy to weigh next picking up some coin was out the window" Lol, Andy put 35lb on the scales which would be hard to beat on the lake today by the sound of it & a couple even went home after blanking" Matt did finally catch to his relief finishing with 6lb odd but it would cost him in the overall placing for sure, I was next in are section & finished with 23lb odd But Rich Healey up on peg 26 of are section Finished with 33lb odd. It turned out Andy's weight was enough to win, Rich was Second & Bunt third so the top three all in my section but from totally different areas! Lol.

Well as far as the Overall placing's finished Team mate Bob Gullick did well to finish 2nd in his section today & pip Glen Calvert into second place overall after they tied at the top on 27pts a piece with Mark Walsh finishing in 3rd place on 26pts so well Done to Bob for the win & the other framers, Ray turned outto have a bit more than his estimation finishing with 20lb odd but at least we had a good friendly battle & I walked away with the quid' Shame my run of fish seemed to die after the good start, should of had a rig to fish the deeper water as wasted time trying to catch where I did to begin with?  It turned out to be close in the weights with just the odd fish making the difference, It was a hard series but that's winter fishing, Off to Viaduct tomorrow so hoping for it not to freeze'

Full Results -

1st Andy Gard (Acorn) peg 5, 35lb 9oz.

2nd Rich Healy (Clevedon A.A) peg 26, 33lb 5oz.

3rd Mark Broomsgrove (Sensas 88) peg 1, 26lb 12oz.

4th Glen Calvert (Sensas 88) peg 6, 23lb 9oz.

5th Dom Sullivan (Mosella) peg 13, 23lb 5oz.

Overall Standings -

1st Bob Gullick (Mosella) 27pts (Weight) £220.

2nd Glen Calvert (Sensas 88) 27pts £170.

3rd Mark Walsh (Over 50's) 26pts £120pts.